Routers are electrical devices that are used to permit computers and networks of computers to pass information back and forth. A router typically has one or more input ports and one or more output ports. Data packets containing a destination address arrive on an input port. Based on the destination address, the router forwards the data packet to an appropriate output port which may be connected to the destination node or to another router.
The information being transmitted between routers may be confidential (e.g., bank account information in the context of a bank's network) and thus the security of such information should be ensured. Accordingly, at least some routers provide encryption to allow secure communications across an untrusted communication channel, such as the Internet.
Unfortunately, such routers only ensure security of information transmitted between the routers. The security of the routers themselves often is not ensured. For example, a network engineer responsible for the router may be given full control of the router for purposes of maintaining and configuring the router, thereby creating a single point of control problem.